Just A Glance
by Mist.Filled.Eyes
Summary: A look at Sasuke's escape from Konoha through Sakura's eyes. How she found out about the relationship between them and whether or not she tells the current Hokage,her best friend Naruto Uzumaki.


The leaves crunched their protest as her shoes trampled the walkway. Sakura Haruno was tired of waiting, she'd waited from the time she was a genin until now for him.

Sasuke Uchiha. That man had haunted her daydreams as long as she could remember. Now, he was back. After being on the run, yet right in front of them, for years, he was back. Just waltzed into Konoha, beaten and bloody and surrendered himself. Sakura had been his doctor.

"Damnit this is foolish!" His voice was loud, agitated and flustered. Wait...flustered? Could Sasuke even feel that? Sakura focused her chakra, making herself all but completely silent. Only her heartbeat could be heard, but unless your a vampire, she reasoned, that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"Oh, you have a better plan?" A new voice, also male, but different, older.

"No! But I just got here, they're not going to kill me---they will kill me. That's why they've been....oh. Shit," Sasuke grumbled to himself.

_They? Kill Sasuke? Who are they? _Sakura walked up to the door and knocked softly. It was thrown open, but not by Sasuke.

"Sakura, how are you?" The youngest Kage in a century was standing in the doorway, a charming smile on his face. Gaara placed one hand behind his back, bowed at the waist and smiled at her," Please come in, Sasuke and I were just talking."

"I didn't know you were in town..." Sakura noted almost abesently. Both Sasuke and Gaara smirked and Sakura immediately raised an eyebrow.

"I got a letter from the Hokage saying Sasuke had come back, and naturally I hastened to my friend's side so he could have someone more experienced to call on."

Immediately Sakura wondered, _which friend? Sasuke, or Naruto._Having just become Hokage at the age of 24, Gaara had already been running the Land Of Wind for 11 years, so Naruto seemed the more likely so why was Gaara at Sasuke's place? Sakura turned and stared at Sasuke. His back was to both of them now, leaning on the dining room table.

He changed a lot. When he left he was short, 4'11, now he was easily 5'10. Through the white dress shirt he was wearing you could see the muscles of his back tensing and releasing as he shifted to reach different items on the table. Gaara strolled leasurely to his side, gripping a paper out of the Uchiha's reach and passing it over with a murmur of," God you're stubborn."

"No more so then you Gaa---Kazekage-sama," Sasuke's eyes widened when he almost called the Kazekage by name. Sakura frowned, Sasuke never lost his ability to articulate, he didn't stutter and he didn't get people's titles wrong. Gaara's lips twitched into a weak smile before he wiped it off. Sasuke stood straight again and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"What's the matter?" Sakura ventured forwards and glanced at the papers. Most of them dictated Sasuke's life, when he'd been sighted, how close they'd come to catching him, his new status of missing-nin, then Rogue nin. But one was from Suna, a letter, and the moment Sakura's hand reached for it, Sasuke grabbed it. She had just barely spotted Gaara's signature before Sasuke made it disappear.

"Nothing, my situation just isn't looking good. I hoped to be able to convince Naruto that all of this," He motioned at the papers," had a purpose. But the problem is, my purpose makes sense to me and people like me, not someone like Naruto. Or any of the jounin and ANBU who'll be helping him judge me." Sasuke sighed and organized the papers differently.

Sakura studied the two men in front of her. Sasuke was tense and annoyed, shifting papers and scowling when the order couldn't help him. He'd grab a pen and make a note every once in a while, but he'd utter a curse when he read something that only made it worse.

On the opposite side of the board, Gaara was calm, cool and composed. He'd write down more notes in his own neat calligraphy, and he was gathering a pile of papers that had one word written in red at the the top; Helpful. His gourd lay discarded in the far corner of Sasuke's living room, closed and waiting for him.

But wait, Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed on his crimson dress shirt, the top four buttons were undone and the bottom one was gone. Gaara never appear before anyone if he didn't appear flawless. The council at Suna was always looking to get rid of him and if he looked like something was wrong, it gave leeway Gaara couldn't afford. His belt was gone too. Sakura tilted her head in confusion, why was Gaara in such a state of...undress?

"Sakura?" Both Gaara and Sasuke had turned to stare at her and she blinked away her daze. With a casual smile plastered to her face she forced words from her mouth.

"Sorry, I just came by to check and make sure that you had taken to the blood change we had to give you Sasuke. I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled and waved as she walked out. She walked away, then jumped backward onto the roof.

Using a quick jutsu she'd learned during training, she opened a one-way mirror through the roof. Both Gaara and Sasuke stood at the table still, before Gaara murmured.

"Sasuke, this is not good for your health. Everything here, everything my spies have heard, all of points to a premature judgement. No one will listen to you, you have no choice. Konoha will kill you if you are still here when the ANBU come to collect you." Gaara gripped Sakura's crush's shoulders," Listen to me please."

"Gaara I don't want to believe that these people, who preach peace, would kill me without even listening." Sasuke gripped the redhead's shirt and shook his head," No. I simply can't believe that they _could _do it."

"But damnit 'Suke they can. And they will. I've already told you everything about what the ANBU said regarding your health. Why did you come here Sasuke, you should have ran to Suna. Came with me, I would've - hell I still will - hide you from Naruto," Gaara glanced down then back up," Please, I don't want you to die."

Sakura bit back a gasp. Both of them were acting so very out of character. Sasuke wouldn't admit to such a hope towards his former home and Gaara would never show emotion like that.

"What's going on with you two?" She whispered, the wind carrying her words away and pushing her pink hair from her face.

"If you don't want that happening then help me plan," Sasuke stepped closer and kissed the Kazekage softly," I won't let them kill me my friend. I wouldn't do that to you."

Sakura couldn't hold back the gasp this time. Gaara and Sasuke were...gay? Were lovers? She watched as Sasuke slipped the redhead's shirt over his head and hugged him then closed the mirror and ran away.

As she ran, she pondered. On one hand she should run straight to Naruto and tell him that Gaara was conspiring to hide Sasuke away, that they were closer then they let on. On the other hand though, the adoration - the love - that been gleaming just beneath the surface in their eyes, in their motions held Sakura mute. She'd ached to see that look in Sasuke directed at her, but the redheaded Kazekage had managed to step ahead of her without anyone knowing.

Then she remembered, she had to tell Naruto. She was one of the jounin going to be present at Sasuke's trial. Hell it was her job to present an argument as to why he should be dying. Conspiring with Kazekage was a foolproof way to get him dead.

But Temari and Kankuro would lose their brother. Naruto would have to call for blood from Suna for this betrayal, and the council would offer up Gaara like a sacrifice to the gods. Gaara would die alongside his lover. And the other Sand siblings - including one of her best girlfriends, whom she'd been bride's maid for at her's and Shikamaru's wedding - would have to stand passive as their brother was lead forward to die before all of Konoha.

Sakura grabbed her key and clicked open the lock. She dove onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow, aching for sleep to take her. Her duty to her country and her duty to Temari warred in her head. Both begging to be the chosen one.

Sakura drifted to sleep with a depressed scowl plastered to her lips, her hair mussed from the running, and her thoughts a torrent of confusion and depression.

* * *

The next day, Sakura walked into the Hokage chamber, and her eyes searched out two people. Sasuke was chained to the middle of the floor, sitting quietly on his knees. Probably because the ANBU put the chains too tight for him to rise.

The other person brought with him faces Sakura didn't want to see. Gaara stood off to Sasuke's right. Kankuro was at his shoulder, leaning slightly on the youngest Suna sibling. Temari clutched her brother's hands as she awaited one of the biggest trials in years.

"Today we have gathered to pass judgement on Sasuke Uchiha, former Rogue-nin and now willing captive. Remember to keep an open mind to both arguments. The Kazekage of Sunakagure has joined us to stand as a indifferent party, having no emotional connection to the Uchiha whatsoever. Any protests?" Naruto started the trial with confidence in his friend's aid, throwing a small trusting smile at Gaara.

_If only you knew_, Sakura thought, then noticed that when Naruto wasn't looking Gaara had flinched at the the trust, his eyes were almost tortured when he looked at the chained man.

One by one, ANBU passed their assessments, some negative, calling for blood in retribution for the blood Sasuke spilt. Some positive, praising how Sasuke only killed the Akatsuki members, how he left every person sent after him alive. The jounin were next, their opinions were mixed as well.

"For our last judgement, Sakura Haruno," Naruto motioned her forward and Sakura tensed as she walked forward. She glanced at the Suna siblings and noticed Gaara had fallen to lean on his brother, gripping his sister's hand with one with that was pale and wrung out.

Sasuke looked in pain, he was leaning on his left arm, his right wrapped around his chain, as if ready for something. He kept shooting the occasional comforting glance towards the agonized Kazekage.

"When Sasuke came back, I rejoiced. Having been a member of my genin squad. I was ecstatic that he was back. As I celebrated I remembered the amount of times Sasuke had been close to capture, how many chances he had to slaughter large numbers of Konoha nin. How many times he never did.

"I was Sasuke's doctor upon his return, I tended to his wounds and preformed every test needed on him. I was present at his surrender, present at his arrest, present every time he stood silent and obedient to the ANBU Black Ops. "

The moment of truth. She paused in her speech and stared at Gaara again, he had dropped his head, but when she stopped talking, he looked up. For a brief second she saw the frightened, tear-filled eyes he had hidden with his hair. Then he cast a quick genjutsu over his body and his features were stoic.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut her off," I'm sorry to interrupt you Sakura. But I know the face of a person on a blood-hunt and everyone in the room is holding it as a mask. I won't die here, and I won't die easy." He shut his eyes and broke the chains with chakra. Throwing out a hand he cast chakra strings and grabbed onto Gaara, jerking both of them to the window and stealing his weapons from a ANBU on his way. He pressed his katana to Gaara's arched neck and sighed.

"Let me go Uchiha!" Gaara protested, holding up a hand to keep his siblings at bay," Sasuke, this is stupid, don't do this-" Gaara gasped sharply when Sasuke made a slit in his neck, not enough to cut anything vital but enough to show everyone he was deadly serious. Both of Gaara's hand flew up to grab Sasuke's arm and wrist, desperately trying to tug the sword from his throat.

"Gaara, now isn't the time to talk. Goodbye everyone, I pray we never have to meet again," He shattered the glass with his elbow and pushed both him and Gaara out the window. For a spilt second everyone was frozen, hearing Gaara yell in surprise, then everyone was at the window. And the Kazekage and Sasuke were gone.

"Gaara!" Kankuro screamed out the window, hoping his brother would respond, then turning to hug his sobbing sister," We'll get him back Nee-chan. It'll be okay, Gaara will be okay."

"He has no weapons!" She wailed," He left his sand, his gourd, his knives _everything _at home! He thought he was safe here goddamnit!" She wrapped her arms around her waist as she dropped to her knees, pressing the tips of her battle-worn fingers to the blood spatter on the floor.

Sakura was reeling, just last night Sasuke had been comforting the redhead, now he was attacking him. Using him as a hostage, what was going on? Sakura couldn't comprehend it.

The men and women gathered in the room began a hunt. A country wide, search for the last Uchiha and the missing Kazekage. But for 3 weeks no one found anything.

* * *

Then, the guards came running in on a meeting, saying the Kazekage had arrived at the gates and collapsed. Sakura was first on the scene. Gaara had multiple lacerations, bruises decorated his pale, exhausted face, and his clothes were doused in blood. Sakura's hands jumped to check and confirm the blood wasn't his. Ripping his shirt off with a knife Sakura gasped. A kunai was embedded in his stomach, and blood was seeping out from around it.

"Temari? Kankuro?" His voice, and lips cracked when he spoke but he got his message out. His family had to be notified. They had gone back to Suna 2 weeks ago - someone had to run the country in Gaara's absence - to keep the peace between countries, all of Suna was furious that Konoha had allowed this to happen.

"Gaara, it's me Sakura Haruno. I'm going to help you, make sure your okay and then you can personally get in contact with your family." She and the ANBU were running to the hospital. The moment they got there. Sakura was healing and interrogating," Gaara what do you remember?"

"Fighting. Sasuke took me somewhere, said he'd kill me if I spoke. I fought the second I could," Gaara coughed blood and cried out in pain when Sakura's probing fingers touched the knife.

"Shit!" She hissed, then gently stroked the redhead's face," Gaara, you keep talking, and keep your eyes on me." If he fell into shock now, he could very well be the Late 5th Kazekage.

"Stabbed, so much pain, feels like my stomach's on fire but I had to run," Gaara gasped when Sakura began healing his stomach, pulling the blade out as she did so. Gaara was well-known for how much he'd built up his pain tolerance. So if he was actually showing the pain, it must be agony.

Sakura knew the rules, if you were stabbed in the stomach, you had 20 minutes of pure agony to live. 20 minutes of your stomach acid feasting on your other vital organs. It Gaara had been running after being stabbed then it was very likely he jostled the blade, made the hole in his stomach wall bigger, and made the time limit he already had shorter.

_Please pull through Gaara..._

* * *

3 days later when Temari and Kankuro arrived at the hospital, Sakura was waiting for them. The waiting room suddenly seemed so empty, Sakura had refused to leave the hospital until Temari and Kankuro arrived so in the meantime after healing Gaara as best she could, she'd been cleaning out beds, fixing up as many people as she could.

"Sakura!" Temari hugged the pinkette," Is he okay? Is he alive?" Temari's voice was pleading, but confident in her friend's abilities. Kankuro walked right past, intent on getting straight to his brother.

"He's alive, we worked through the night and he's still in critical condition, but the prognosis is good. It looks like the rest of the fight is up to him." She turned to stared at Gaara's room, seeing Kankuro just entering. The two women wandered to the door and glanced in.

"Gaara, come back to us, you've slept long enough, wake up and fight damnit." Kankuro whispered in his brother's ear and Sakura sighed.

"That's pointless Kankuro, he's been asleep since we finished- Good god!" She gasped when Gaara's hazy azure eyes opened. He gripped his brother's shoulder when Kankuro hugged him softly. Temari dove onto her brothers hugging both of them with one arm, tears of relief running down her face.

* * *

The next time the Kazekage came to Konoha it was 3 months later and he had a new guard. A shadowy figure, always cloaked. No one had ever seen his face, the one exception being the other Suna siblings. Both of whom were so tight-lipped about that not even the best bribe could get the information from them.

Sakura walked out of Ino's flower shop after buying lilies for her house window, just in time to hear Naruto yell her name and see him waving from across the street.

Sakura's eye scanned the street out a shinobi instinct, seeing the two most interesting people - for now - walking down the street. Murmurs followed them as they walked but both ignored it, though Gaara seemed to be miles away, his eyes looking but not quite seeing.

Naruto approached Sakura and Gaara and his shadow guard walked by. The shadow guard tilted his head and for a split-second Sakura would've sworn that she saw two sharigan eyes peering from beneath the hood.

"Sakura, did you know about Sasuke's escape? Did he tell you?" This time she was certain she was seeing the sharigan, as well as Sasuke's face, both he and Gaara were smiling gratefully at her and she sighed.

"Honestly Naruto," She faced her other former teamate," I had no idea."


End file.
